Box



Nov. 26, 1929. w. H. CHAMPLlN BOX 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Filed March 5. 1928 V a l 2E Egg Nov. 26, 1929. w. H. CHAMPLIN 1,737,186

- BOX Filed March 6. 1928 2'Sheets-Sheet 2 Q x F .7. M

Patented Nov. 7 26, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filedMarch 6, 1928. Serial No. 259,574.

This invention relates to improvements in knock-down boxes and moreparticularly to that type in-which the top, bottom, side, and

end walls are initially separated and are adapted to be assembled andsecured against separation, in the setting up of the box, and

one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novelconnection between the side walls and the bottom of the box of such 0character as to insure against upward displacement as well aslongitudinal and inward displacement of the side walls with respect tothe bottom, after assemblage of the side walls with the bottom, and bothduring the operation of setting up of the box and in the use ,of the boxduring and after shipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means whereby theend walls of the box may be very readily and quickly assembled with theside walls and bottom of the box, the end walls embodying means-coactingwith the side walls to prevent inward as well as outward displacementofthe end walls after they have been inserted into posi- 2 tion betweenthe ends of'the side walls, so that there will be no liability of collase or tilting of these end walls while the 0x is being set up. a

' Another object of the invention is to so construct the means which iscarried by the end walls of the box for coaction with the side walls toprevent displacement of the end 7 walls, that this means may also serve,by the use, in connection therewith, of simple securing elements, suchas nails, as a means for positively preventing any. outward dlsplacementof the side walls of the box and, inasmuch as the fastening meansserves, as will presently be described, to secure together the end wallsand side walls of the box, and

'- the side walls are, as stated, restrained against upward displacementby coacting parts upon the side walls and bottom of the box, the endwalls, by reason of their connection with the side walls, will likewisebe restrained against upward displacement. Therefore the presentinvention contemplates the provision of a box which, when set up, willbe exception ally substantial'and'inwhich box the side and end .wallsand the bottom will be so securely connected in assembled relation withrespect to one another as to permit of pack ing of the box with thecommodity to be shipped, with expedition and without fear that the boxwill collapse when the commodity is introduced into the box hurriedlyand with the exercise of little care, which is necessary if the packingis to be expeditiously performed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a box of theknock-downtypeabove described of such construction that when set up,packed, and closed, it will be'exceptionah ly durable and substantialand withstand the rough usage to which it will be subjected in shipping,-'thebox being at the same time so constructed that, when it isdesiredto disassemble the oomponent walls of the box for the purpose ofreturning it or for storage, this may be readily accomplished without 70any likelihood of destroying or mutilating any of the component parts ofthe'box and likewise in an expeditious and convenient manner. p a

Another object of the invention is to provide a knock-down box of theclass referred to above so constructed that, while simple fasteningelements such as nails, are em ployed in securing together the componentparts of the box, these nails'or other securing elements will be few innumber and may be removed with great case when it is desired 0disassemble the component walls of the While the accompanying drawingsand the description which is to follow, constitute a disclosure of thepreferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious changes ma be made within the scope of what is claimed? v A Inthe accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box embodying the invention,-setup and close for shipment;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the box in 95 set up condition, aportion of the adjacent side wall being cut away to illustrate moreclearly the connection provided between the side walls'and the bottom ofthe box;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view 100 through one endof the boxtaken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking in the directionindicated by the arrow;

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal sectional view through one upper cornerof the box;

Figure'5 is a similar view through one lower corner of the box;

Figure 6 is a view partly in vertical section and partly in elevationillustrating the construction of the lower portion of the box atoneend;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the top of the box;

, Figure 8 is a similar view of the of the box;

Figure 9- is a perspective view of one of the side walls of the box;

1 Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the end walls of the box,looking at the outer side thereof;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective bottom view of one of the endwalls of the box look-' ing. at the inner side thereof.

As is usual, the box embodying the invention comprises side walls 1, atop 2, a bottom 3, and end walls 4. All of these walls may consist of asingle rectangular piece of wood, or any one or more of the walls may beconstructed of a plurality of assembled pieces of wood,vthis dependingentirely upon the size of the box and the judgment of the manufacturer.By reference to Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8. of the drawings, it will beobserved that a cleat 5,is secured to the upper side of the bottom 3 ateach end thereof and that these cleats havetheir outwardly presentedfaces substantially in-registration w1th the end margins of the saidbottom, each cleat being provided at each end with a dovetail.

tenon 6 and these tenons terminating, at their outer ends, nearly flushwith the longitudinal vertically with their outer faces substantiallysubstantially flush with the upper and lower edges of the res ectiveside wall. From the foregoing and y reference tov Figure 2, 5 and 6 ofthe drawings, it will be evident that the side walls 1 are assembledwith the bottom 3 by the interfitting of the lower ends of the cleats 7of the side walls, in whichthe mortises 8 are formed, with the tenonedends 6 of the cleats 5 upon the bottom 3, this assemblage of the sidewalls with thebottom being effected by disposing the side walls inupright position with the mortises 8 opposing the outer ends of thetenons 6 of the cleats 5 at the respective side of the bottom 3, andshifting the side wall 1 in an inward direction to effect interfittin-gof the tenons and mortises. It will also be evident at this point thatwhen the lower ends of the cleats 7 upon the side wall 1 are in thismanner connected with the ends of the cleats 5 upon the bottom 3, thelower ends of the said cleats 7 will rest squarely in engagementwith'the upper surface of the bottom 3 and the said cleats 7 will besecurely held assembled with the cleats 5 so that there can be no upwarddisplacement of theside walls 1 with respect to the bottom 3 andlikewise so that the side walls will be held, inthe assembling orsetting up of the box, in a true upright position. It will also beevident that the inwardly presented sides of the cleats 7 abut, at theirlower ends, against the shoulders which are formed at the ends of thecleats 5, in the formation of the tenons 6 and that those faces of thecleats 7which are presented toward the respective ends of the boxstructure as a whole -will be 1 flush with or occupy a common planewithwhich is slightly greater than that of the cleats, 7. The cleat 10extends transversely horizontally of the end wall 4 midwa between theupper and lower edges thereo and is formed in each end with a recess 11proviring a tongue 12 at each end of the cleat. The recesses 11 areformed in the inner sides of the cleats 10 and therefore the tongues 12are in spaced relation to the outer faces of the I respective end walls4 and parallelthereto,

' and in practice the recesses 11 will be formed of such width that theinner sides of the tongues 12 will be spaced from the outer face of therespective end wall 4 a distance equal to the thickness of the cleats 7upon the side walls 1. It will now be evident, and particularly byreference to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, that the end walls 4 ofthe box are assembled with the side walls and bottom 3 by sliding theend walls downwardly into place with the vertical marginal portions of.

their outer faces riding against the inner faces of the cleats 7 andwith the tongues 12 riding against the outer faces of said cleats.

In the final position of each end wall, it will rest at its lowerlongitudinal edge upon the upper side of the bottom 3 of the box and atits outer face and vertical margins, against the inner faces of thecleats 7, the end walls being retained in upright position and againstany inward tilting or collapse, through the engagement of the tongues 12with the cleats 7. With the bottom, side walls, and end walls,assembled'as above described and as illustrated in the several figuresof the drawings, the boxmay be completed for. the purpose of packing, bydriving nails or other fastening elements 13 through each of the tongues12 and into the respective cleat 7 and at this point it will be evidentthat in this simple manner and by the use of a single one of thefastening elements 13 in connection with each of the tongues .of thecleats 10, the sidewalls 1 are securely connected-151th the endwalls 4so that there can be no outward displacement of either side wall and,inasmuch as each side wall is restrained against upward displacementwith respect to the bottom 3 of the box, through the engagement of the;tenons 6 in.

the mortises 8, and-the end walls 4 are secured to the side walls 1through the medium of the fastening elements 13, the saidrend walls 4are restrained from any upward displacement and likewise, the side walls1 are restrained from outward displacement such as would causedisengagement of the lower ends of the cleats 7 from the respective endsof the cleats 5. In this manner the entire assemblage of walls isrendered exceptionally firm and rigid and at the same time this resultis accomplished without resort to any complicated fastening elements orthe necessity of positively securing any of the component parts togetherexcept by the use of the fastening elements 13 which, as stated above,are driven through the tongues 12 and into the cleats 7. The body of thebox, as thus set up, is in every respect, suificlently substantial topermit of its being packed without the exercise of any special care atthe time of introducing the commodity to be shipped, into the box,although other extraneous means are'employed, as will presently beexplained, for the purpose of binding the structure and protecting itfrom damage during shipment.

As illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 4 and 7 of the drawings, cleats 14 aresecured to the under side of the top 2 of the box at each end thereofand the outer faces of these cleats are in registration with the endmargins of said Each of these cleats is formed at its ends with tenons15 which terminate approximately at the longitudinal margins of the top2' and which seat snugly in the mortlses 9 in the upper ends of thecleats 7 upon the side walls 1, when the top 2 is disposed in placeupon'the open top of the body strucmm above described.

By reference to Figures l, 2, 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings, it willbeobserved that rows of staples 16 are driven into the side walls andtop and bottom of the box near the ends of the structure and at themiddle thereof, and in preparing the box for shipment, metal straps 1are thregded through these ly bind the box and retain the top 2 in placeas Well as relieving the fastening elements 13 and the interfittingmortises and tenons, from a considerable part of the strain. It willalso be evident from the foregoing that when it is desired todisassemble the component parts of the box, this may be readilyaccomplished by removing the fastening elements 19, separating the endsof the straps and withdrawing the straps, and then withdrawing thefastening elements 13, after which the component. parts of the structuremay be separated in a manner which will be obvious fromthe foregoingdescription of the manner of their assemblage.

It will be understood of course that, in general practice, the box willbe placed upon the market in shook form.

Having thus described the invention, what 1 claim is:

1. In a box structure of the class described, a bottom, side walls, andend walls, cleats upon said bottom and side walls having mu, tuallyinterlocking portions restraining the side walls'from upward, inward,and ,endwise displacement with respect tothe bottom, and coacting meansupon the side walls and end walls restraining the side walls againstoutward displacement and the end walls against outward, inward, andupward displacement with respect to the side walls.

2. Ina box structure of the class described, I

a bottom, side walls, and end walls, coacting mortise and tenon membersupon said bottom and side walls restraining the side walls from upward,inward,and endwise displacement with respect to the bottom, and coactingmeans, upbn the side walls and end walls restraining the-side wallsagainst outward displacement and the end walls against outward, inward,and upward displacement with respect to the side walls.

3. In a box structure of the class described, a bottom, side walls, andend walls, cleats upon the bottom having dovetail tenons,

a bottom, side walls, and end walls, cleats upon the upper side of thebottom at the ends thereof and each provided at 'each of its ends with adovetail tenon, cleats upon the inner 5 side of each side wall at theends thereof and each provided at its lower end with a dovetail mortiseto accommodate a respective one of the tenons, the ends of the cleatsupon the bottom at'the opposite sides of the tenons constitutingshoulders against which the cleats upon the side walls abut to preventinward displacement of the side walls, the interfengagement of themortises and tenons constituting means for preventing endwise and upwarddisplacement of the side walls, and coacting means upon the side wallsand end walls restraining the side walls against outward displacementand the end walls against outward, inward, and upward displacement withrespect to the side walls.

5. In a'box structure of the class described,

a bottom, side walls, and end'walls, cleats upon said bottom and sidewallshaving mutuallyinterlocking portions restraining the side wallsfrom upward, inward, and endwise displacement with respect to thebottom, and means carried bythe end walls and coacting with portions ofvthe side walls to provide for sliding insertion of the end walls intoposition and constituting likewise means for restraining the end wallsagainst inward and outward displacement, the said-meansupon the endwalls comprising a cleat upon each wall, and a tongue at each end ofeach cleat for engagement with end portions of the side walls and forthe passage therethrough of a securing element whereby to preventoutward displacement of the side walls with respect to the end walls. 7v

6.. In a box structure of the class described, a bottom, cleats upon theupper side of the bottom at the ends thereof, side walls, cleats uponthe inner faces of the side walls at the ends thereof, the outer endsof-the first mentioned cleats and the lower ends of the second mentionedcleats-"having interfitting dovetail mortise and tenon connection to provide against upward displacement of the side walls with respect to thebottom, end walls disposed against the inner sides of the cleats uponthe side walls at each end of the structure, a transverse cleat upon theouter face of each end wall recessed at its ends to accommodate thecleats upon the side walls at the respective end of the structure and toprovide tongues engaging over the outer sides of the cleats upon theside walls, and securing elements driven through the tongues and intothe cleats upon the side walls.

7. In a box structure of the class described, a bottom, side walls, endwalls, and a top, cleats upon said bottom and side walls having mutuallyinterlocking portions restraining the side walls from upward, inward,and endwise displacement with respect to the bottom, cleats upon the endwalls having tongues overlapping and secured to the ends of the sidewalls and restraining the side walls against outward displacement andthe end walls against outward, inward, and upward displacement withrespect to the side walls, coacting means upon the top and the sidewalls for restraining the top against longitudinal and transversedisplacement, and means circumscribing the said bottom, top, and sidewalls and binding the same in their assembled relation.

8. In a box structure of the class described,

a bottom,side walls,end walls,and a top, cleats having coacting mortiseand tenon members and mounted upon the said bottom and side Walls andrestraining the sidewalls from upward, inward, and endwise displacementwith respect to the bottom, coacting means upon the side walls and endwalls restraining the side walls against'olitward displacement and theend walls against outward, inward, and upward displacement with respectto the side walls, cleats upon the underside of the top and the saidside walls-having mutu-

